Tag: jeff christensen

Wait, Mitchell Trubisky said what about his mechanics?

The Bears coaching staff’s inability to work with Trubisky on his mechanics is worrisome and could’ve contributed to some of his struggles.

If there’s one thing that was blatantly clear during Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s press conference with the media on Friday, it was that he’s got an edge heading into this important quarterback competition with Nick Foles.

The vibe was certainly one of “this is my job to lose” and “I give this team the best chance to win.” It’s a mentality Trubisky has carried with him throughout an offseason where he’s been more focused than ever and determined to prove he is the answer in Chicago.

Which has made this offseason a time for focusing on what went wrong last season and fixing it, including his mechanics. But one of the biggest bombshells that came out of Friday’s presser was that Trubisky changed his mechanics for the first time ever this offseason.

Seriously.

Every pro athlete has had to change their mechanics at some point. And considering Trubisky’s mechanics have always been a concern — even after his solid 2018 season — it’s baffling to consider that it took three whole NFL seasons for a change to be made. Especially considering former quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone, who now serves as passing game coordinator, was in charge of Trubisky’s development and failed to make a change.

Given the sense of urgency with Trubisky’s starting job and future in Chicago on the line, Trubisky made a change this offseason working with QB guru Jeff Christensen, who apparently was the first person that told Trubisky to change his mechanics. Trubisky said he feels like his motion is better, that he has more balance in the pocket and the ball is coming out more accurately.

“Hopefully the adjustments show on tape,” Trubisky said.

But the coaching staff’s inability to effectively work with Trubisky on his mechanics is worrisome and certainly could’ve contributed to some of his struggles. Perhaps that’ll change with a new face in the QB room.

One of the biggest offseason moves the Bears made was bringing in new quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, who has worked wonders with quarterbacks. Getting an experienced and proven QB coach in DeFilippo to work with Trubisky will only work wonders for the young gun. There hasn’t been a lot of on-field work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but that should change with the start of training camp.

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Cam Newton and Tyrod Taylor working out together, share same QB coach

Newton probably gives the Chargers their best chance to win this year, though.

Cam Newton has never been more motivated. Ever since his release from the Panthers last week, his now famously intense Instagram workout posts have become more and more frequent. He seems determined to defy the narrative that he is washed up and that his former team was wrong to “give up” on him, as he claimed in a video on Wednesday.

As to which team will give Newton his second chance, it’s anybody’s guess at this point. However, there is a fair amount of chatter about the Chargers potentially pursuing Newton. This will likely add more fuel to that fire. In one of his posts from Saturday, Newton was photographed with QB coach Jeff Christensen, who also happens to be working with Tyrod Taylor.

For what it’s worth, Newton and Taylor have also shared the same practice field, recently.

On the surface, it seems like an obvious fit. After releasing Philip Rivers, the Chargers are in need of a new starting quarterback. However, so far the team has stated that their intention is to stick with Taylor as their QB1. Nobody seems to believe them though – especially since they tried to sign Tom Brady.

If they’re still looking for a veteran QB, they have some other quality options. In addition to Newton being on the market, there’s another former No. 1 pick also looking for a new team. Jameis Winston has been replaced by Brady in Tampa Bay and is free to sign elsewhere. While Newton is obviously the superior player, Winston does have the advantage of being four years younger, so there’s a chance he will get signed first.

Los Angeles also holds the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft, which should put them in good position to land any quarterback they want in this class as long as they are not named Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa.

Newton probably gives the Chargers their best chance to win this year, though.

While they still have a lot of ground to gain on the division-rival Super Bowl champion Chiefs, they have been aggressive in free agency so far. The team has signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph and cornerback Chris Harris, bolstering an already strong defensive unit. Adding right tackle Bryan Bulaga is another significant move that should help whoever starts at QB a great deal.

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